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Category Archives: Langley Cornwell

At one point or another during life with your dog, you’ll likely encounter some type of canine emergency. And if you are fortunate enough to have a dog that behaves well enough to get out and about with you, it may happen more frequently. When minor predicaments occur, it’s good to know what action to take. Here are three common canine emergencies and what you should do when they strike.

Dog Bites

Dog bites happen. Sometimes it’s because a new dog acts up at the dog park or because a dog slips his lead during a walk. Regardless of how or why it happened, it’s time for you to take action. Clean the wound thoroughly but gently and investigate it. If the skin is broken but the bite does not seem to require stitches, you can avoid a trip to the vet.

Place sterile cotton pads against the clean wound and wrap it all with sterile gauze. Be careful not to wrap the area too tightly because you don’t want to constrict the blood flow. Then put some type of inflatable or cone recovery collar on your dog so he won’t aggravate the area. Change the bandage every day and scrutinize the area for signs of infection. If you notice additional redness, warmth, swelling, oozing or increased sensitivity, then make an appointment with your vet to get it looked at.

Skunk Sprays

This is one area that I have personal experience with. Well, not me exactly (thankfully) but my dog. When I lived up north, I had a Spitz mix who was an escape artist. Every time she got out, she seemed to head straight to her favorite skunk’s house. I’m telling you, this happened several times a month. At the time I thought tomato juice was the antidote so I soaked her in it. Not only did the smell linger, but she ended up looking like a golden retriever most of the time. That juice stained her white hair orange. It was a constant mess.

Skunk spray contains oils that help it stick, so you need a solution that will cut through it. Bathing your dog with a mixture of one quart 3% hydrogen peroxide, a quarter cup of baking soda, and a teaspoon of liquid dishwashing soap (with grease cutting action) is what some “skunk experts” recommend. The recipe may need to be doubled for large or extra-hairy dogs. If your dog gets hit with a blast of skunk spray and you don’t have those ingredients on hand, white vinegar diluted with water will suffice. Whatever solution you choose, take care to protect your dog’s eyes. You’ll also want to follow up with a bath using your dog’s regular shampoo, and everything should be back to normal.

Bee Stings

For most dogs, bee stings are uncomfortable but manageable; you should remove the stinger and then apply cold compresses to reduce swelling and inflammation. Be extra cautious if your dog is stung in the face or around the mouth area, especially if your dog happens to be a brachycephalic breed like a Bulldog, Pekingese, Pug, Boston Terrier, etc. These dog’s airways are already restricted, so any additional swelling can be serious. You should seek veterinary care in this instance.

It is widely agreed that administering a low dose of anti-histamine like regular Benadryl (not “non-drowsy”) is okay in a bee sting situation for dogs other than the short-nosed breeds. The recommended dose is 25 mg for smaller dogs and 50 mg for larger dogs, but please call your vet to confirm.

After a bee sting, if your dog acts confused, has labored breathing, excess swelling or hives or if he is vomiting or has diarrhea, then go straight to an animal hospital.

We can provide our dogs love and shelter, and feed them premium pet food like CANIDAE grain free PURE, but sometimes things happen that are beyond our control. Dogs can get into all kinds of mischief, so it’s good to know what steps to take in a common canine emergency.

When we adopted our most recent family dog, Al, he had been stuck in the system for a long time; he’d been transported to several different animal shelters in the hopes of finding him a good home. I applaud the local shelters for recognizing that he had potential despite some behavioral problems. Even so, he was on borrowed time, and when my husband and I met him, we agreed that we were ready for the job.

To help his transition, we started Al in behavioral training classes immediately. We still have a very long way to go with this dog, but he’s part of our family and we’ve pledged to give him a safe, loving and comfortable home for the rest of his life.

As it turns out, Al’s behavioral problems are only half of the picture. Once the adoption was finalized, we took him straight to our veterinarian. His examination revealed that Al was heartworm positive and had a collapsed trachea. The heartworm condition has been corrected, but we have to take special precautions not to aggravate his tracheal collapse.

Do you believe some people are “cat people” and some are “dog people?” I used to think that was true, and considered myself a staunch dog person. Granted, I love all animals, but preferred to share my life with those of the canine persuasion. All of that abruptly changed when my husband and I were at an animal shelter to get a new dog. As we were filling out the final paperwork, we started chatting with the shelter staff. Everything was settled and we began making our way to the door with our new pup when one of the staff members raced up with a tiny little kitten. She thrust the kitten into my husband’s face and said, “This is my special little guy and I want to make sure he has the perfect home. What about it?”

“What about what?” I said in my best dog-only-person voice.

“He’s a cutie” my husband the cat lover said (although I’m not sure he used the word cutie, and he’d probably deny it). “He looks just like my favorite cat Rudy used to look,” he continued, and looked me square in the eyes. That look let me know it was my decision but he really wanted the kitten to come home with us. The shelter staff noticed my hesitation and ganged up on me. Now what’s a girl going to do? I caved to the peer pressure and agreed. So we went to the shelter for a dog and came home with a cat and a dog.

That’s how I made the switch. But don’t misunderstand my use of the word switch. I didn’t switch from being a “dog person” to being a “cat person.” No, I switched from being a “dog only” person to being a “dog and cat” person.

There is a lot of information circulating about acute and chronic feline illnesses, which is helpful when you need details about a particular situation or condition. However, there are a handful of common injuries that befall cats on a fairly regular basis, and some of these injuries can be treated at home. A responsible pet owner would do well to have a standard working knowledge of common cat health issues and know what steps to take to help their feline friend. In other words, it’s important to know when you need to make a mad dash to the emergency veterinary clinic versus when you can calmly assess the problem and either treat it yourself or make a convenient appointment with your regular veterinarian.

Here are some of the most common cat injuries.

Animal Bites and Puncture Wounds

Among the most common injuries with cats are puncture/bite wounds, usually the result of a cat fight. With a bite wound or a puncture wound from a sharp, pointed object, you must clean the area thoroughly and try to flush out the wound so you can inspect it. A note of caution: be careful when inspecting your cat’s injury; a wounded animal can be unpredictable and aggressive.

If the wound looks superficial, after cleaning the area apply an antibiotic ointment and keep a close watch on it for signs of infection. Continue to keep the area clean and dressed with the ointment as it heals. Deeper wounds may require stitches and oral antibiotics, so it’s best to head to the veterinarian’s office. Also, cat-on-cat fights can be especially harmful because the bite from another cat can easily abscess. If you know that the puncture wound is a cat bite, go see your veterinarian. A snake bite is an entirely different thing; go straight to the nearest animal hospital.

Yes, I’m one of those people who take a zillion pictures of their pet. Fortunately, my mobile phone is usually in close proximity so when one of the dogs or the cat strikes a particularly precious pose, I grab and snap. Yet with all my grabbing and snapping, I only manage to get a frame-worthy photograph every once in a while. And that’s pure luck.

Because I wanted to increase my odds, I spent some time researching and practicing new pet photo techniques. This article is primarily for the amateur photographer. There’s nothing I’m going to say here that will make you the next Annie Leibovitz or Ansel Adams of pet photography, but these tips are good for animal lovers who want to capture the occasional cherished moment with their favorite four-legged friend.

Catch the Animal’s Attention

This is an obvious point, but one worth mentioning. Some of the sweetest animal photographs I’ve ever seen are when a cat or a dog is staring soulfully into the camera lens. I’m a complete sucker for pictures like that. One way to capture your pet’s attention is to have a handful of CANIDAE treats with you and reward him when he does what you’re asking him to.

We’ve been conditioned to believe that dogs are pack animals, but do domestic dogs really need canine friends? I’ll admit it – I was the type who believed the answer was a resounding yes. My firm stance on this was partly influenced by the “dogs are pack animals” theory and partly by the fact that all of my pups have thrived when there was a second dog in the house. The dogs I’ve shared my life with have all been family-oriented, and I felt like we were a big, happy pack.

My commitment to this belief was challenged by a friend who rescued a dog named Mia. The relationship between Lisa and Mia made me wonder if my long-held beliefs about having a second dog might be a combined result of 1) blindly accepting the pack animal theory and 2) attempting to assuage my guilt.

The Pack Animal Theory

Because dogs derived from wolves, and wolves live and hunt in packs, most people believe that dogs are hard wired to want canine companionship. I always thought the social structure of wolves included allegiance and reliance on one another within a pack, so it stood to reason that domestic canines would yearn for the same type of species-to-species bonding.

Researchers at Washington State University at Pullman shed more light on the subject, however. Traci Cipponeri and Paul Verrell studied the intricate relationships within wolf packs and likened their interactions to that of people who work within the same corporation. They noted that wolves not related to one another form what could be called an “uneasy alliance” because they have both shared and conflicting goals. They work cooperatively to obtain food and shelter, but they compete with one another for dominance.

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Disclaimer

The personal opinions and/or use of trade, firm, corporation or brand names, in this blog is for the information and convenience of the reader. Such use does not constitute an official endorsement or approval by CANIDAE® Natural Pet Food Company of any product or service to the exclusion of others that may be suitable. All opinions in this blog are those of the individual authors and not necessarily of CANIDAE® Natural Pet Food Company.